Friends & Neighbors for September 2012 September 1, 2012

From left, John Paladino of Wichita, outgoing Mo-Kan Federation governor; Gary Bartlett of Lawrence, vice president of membership and new clubs; and Tommy Johnson of Lawrence, incoming Mo-Kan Federation governor, are pictured at the new officer installation meeting at the 2012 Cosmopolitan International Convention. The event was July 25 to 29 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Bartlett, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Cans for the Community treasurer Linda Lang presented a $1,000 donation to The Arc of Douglas County on June 28. Pictured from left are Hal Schultz, Lang, Barbara Bishop, executive director of Arc of Douglas County, Amber Frost, and Brad Linnekamp. Cans for the Community donates all of their proceeds from recycling aluminum cans to local nonprofit organizations. Linda Klinker, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Celebrating August’s JobLink Employee of the Month, from left, are Betty Simecka, Joblink consultant; Kathy Long Morrow, JobLink coordinator; Melissa Franklin, Employee of the Month; Phil Manuel, general manager of Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, which was named Employer of the Month; and Gary Thompson, assistant general manager of Freddy’s. Kari Bentzinger, of Cottonwood Inc., submitted the photo.

Lawrence tennis players, from left, Tom Kurata, Ryan Barrett, Jimmy Calderon and Steve Vogel competed in blistering heat at the Kansas State Sunflower Games tennis tournament at Topeka’s Kossover Tennis Complex from July 13 to July 15. Barrett and Calderon brought home the gold medal in the men’s 3.5 doubles event. Kurata and Vogel won after several close matches to capture the silver medal in the men’s 4.0 doubles event. Kurata submitted the photo.

Joe and Sarah Farthing of J&S Coffee accept the CASA Community Cornerstone Award at the CASA office on July 19. This new award recognizes a business or organization that demonstrates exceptional support of the CASA mission. J&S Coffee provides coffee for the CASA office, donates ice cream for CASA children, hosted a 2011 casita and helped build the 2010 CASA playhouse. A CASA ambassador, Sarah Farthing has assisted with adoption gifts, graduation gifts, Christmas stockings, Easter baskets and other special gifts for abused and neglected children served by Douglas County CASA. Diana Frederick, Douglas County CASA director, submitted the photo.

Cousins Matt Johnson, 15, Mackenna Jones, 6, Brianna Johnson, 17, Conner Johnson, 9 and Maren Jones, 6 had a day of fun at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo. They are the children of Brandon and Lisa Rogers Johnson of Chesapeake, Va., and Ken and Jennifer Rogers Jones, of Kansas City, Mo.; the grandchildren of Wayne and Sharon Rogers, of Lawrence; and the great-grandchildren of Alice DeWeese and Worthy Rogers, of Lawrence. Sharon Rogers submitted the photo.

Jace Gumbel, 6, and Melanie Gumbel, 9, watch their pigs, horses and cows after completing some yard work with their grandfather. While doing the work, Melanie told her grandfather, “A kid’s gotta do what a kid’s gotta do.” Jace and Melanie are the children of Dustin and Jennifer Gumbel of Tonganoxie. Martha Gumbel, of Linwood, submitted the photo.

The Lawrence River City Cosmopolitan Club presented a $30,000 check to Health Care Access Clinic representatives Kim Johnson, second from left, and Nikki White, center, during the club’s annual Installation Banquet, which was Aug. 11 at Maceli’s. The donation was made possible through proceeds from the club’s annual KU Credit Union Cosmopolitan Diabetes Golf Classic, held May 25 at Alvamar. Golf tournament co-chairmen Tommy Johnson, far left, and Mike Hertling made the check presentation, with 2011-12 club president Denise Johnson, far right. Johnson, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

After a fun afternoon at the Douglas County Fair, 5-year-old Faith Quezada from Southern California sports her new sunglasses purchased at one of the exhibits. Her aunt Margie Lawrence, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Diana Boyd, center, and Karen Lowder, of the Lawrence Pilot Club project division, presented Jeremy Farmer, executive director of Just Food, with a check for $1,460 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital on Aug. 13 for the 2012 Just Food Charity Golf Classic, which is set for Sept. 21. Lareeda Hickey, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Children from Peachtree Day Care of Baldwin City are pictured on “safari” riding a dinosaur. From left are Saylor Currie, daughter of Benchmark and Kim Currie of Baldwin City; Dan Welch and Selene Welch, twin son and daughter of Kelly and Tara Welch of Vinland; Leo Schoenberger, son of Scott and Cheryl Schoenberger of Baldwin City; and Asher Englert, son of Eric and Sarah Englert of Baldwin City. June Roush-Henry, Peachtree Day Care owner, submitted the photo.

The Lawrence Cougars won the ninth- and 10th-grade Mid America Youth Basketball, or MAYB, national tournament in Wichita last month with an 8-1 record at the event, which featured more than 80 teams. Dee Henrichs, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Racers gather to run in the first Remembering Justin 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk on June 2 in McLouth. The event, a benefit for the Justin Johnston Memorial Scholarship fund, was held on the first anniversary of Justin’s death while on a McLouth High School trip to Costa Rica. A benefit golf tournament to raise money for the scholarship fund will be Sept. 30 at Dub’s Dread Golf Club in Kansas City, Kan. Lillian Lockwood submitted the photo.

Winners of the Rexroad 2012 Guac-Off proudly display their prizes for excellence in homemade guacamole, the coveted black apron, on Aug. 11. Pictured from left are Deb Pitts, who received first place; Stan Rasmussen, second place; Max Miller, third place; host and organizer Gary Rexroad, who earned the people’s choice award; and Lee Beth Dever, who received honorable mention for her over-the-top display and presentation. Max Miller, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Emma Wolf and her friend Julian Almon show off their Lego project, which won first place in the 11- to 16-year-old category in the Lego building contest last month at The Toy Store. Emma is the daughter of Amy Corbett of Overland Park and Charlie Wolf of Mission; the granddaughter of Sonnie and Jerry Kemberling and the great-granddaughter of Jean and Okie Snedeger, all of Lawrence. Julian is the son of Amy Stevenson and Michael Almon, both of Lawrence. Sonnie Kemberling submitted the photo.

Thirty years ago, Lawrence resident Deneise Schneider and her mother, Pearl, joined the filming of ABC Circle Films’ “The Day After” on Kansas Highway 10. Pictured on Sept. 8, 1982, are, from left, one of the crew members, Pearl Schneider and producer Robert Papazian. Deneise Schneider submitted the photo.

A Valor Public Safety Award Scholarship is presented to Clark Rials Jr., center, whose father Sgt. Clark Rials of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, second from right, was a 2011 Valor Awards honoree. Presenting the scholarship are, from left, John Ross, chairman of the Lawrence Chamber board of directors; Harry Herington, CEO of NIC Inc., the signature sponsor and co-founder of the Valor Public Safety Awards Program; and Greg Williams, president and CEO of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards honor the community’s first responders and the commitment of their families.

Eileen Hawley

Courtney Cooper, 16, a junior at Bishop Seabury Academy, is pictured in July with a troop of Kenya Girl Guides at the Kenya Girl Guides Headquarters building in Nairobi, Kenya. Courtney was part of a group of 12 Girl Scouts from around the U.S. traveling in Kenya for two weeks as part of a GSUSA Destinations program. Karen Cooper, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Nicholas, 13 months, goes for his first ride. He is the grandson of Scott and Betty Henderson of Lawrence, and the son of Brandon and Brianne Henderson of Lee’s Summit, Mo. Scott Henderson submitted the photo.

Capt. Nate Perry, U.S. Air Force pilot, graduated from B-2 stealth bomber training July 13 at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. He joins the 13th Bomb Squadron of the famous 509th Bomb Wing. He was one of four pilots that graduated after more than six months of training in various aircraft, including the T-38 Talon and the B-2 Spirit. Perry is a 1992 graduate of Baldwin High School and a 1996 graduate of Kansas State University. He also taught and coached at Eudora High School from 1997 to 2002. Perry is pictured with wife Kelly, son Blake and daughters Gracie, Talia, and Reese. They live in the rural Warrensburg, Mo., area. Charles A. Perry, of Baldwin City, submitted the photo.

Cooper Hickock transformed into a superhero for his 4th birthday on Aug. 15. Lindsay Hickock, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Not too often are families able to take photos of five generations. Pictured from left are John E. Sparks, Dustin J. Gilbert, William S. Sparks, Bronson John Gilbert, Gaila S. Gilbert, and Esther J. Sparks. Angela Morrison, of McLouth, submitted the photo.

Kristyn Harnar Nieder and Bill Shunk, both of Lawrence, hold a letter that Shunk sent to Nieder on Jan. 10, 1972. At that time, Shunk was a major in the U.S. Army commanding a helicopter company in Phu Bai, Vietnam, and Nieder was a second-grade student at Broken Arrow School in Lawrence. The letter was sent in response to a letter Nieder sent as part of a second-grade project sending mail to active military personnel in the war zone. Shunk’s daughter, Mandy, was also in Broken Arrow’s second-grade class at that time. Nieder saved the original letter and has used it for many years in her history classes in the Lawrence school district. Nieder currently teaches at West Middle School. Shunk submitted the photo.

The Simons family gathered in South Park on Aug. 18 to celebrate Bill Simons’ 70th birthday. Pictured from left are, back row: Kenneth Palmer of Lawrence, Caleb Palmer of Lawrence, Eric Simons of New York, Lucas Weber of New York, Michelle Snyder of New York, and Chris Weber, holding Rachel Weber, of Topeka; and front row: Sophia Palmer of Lawrence, Juana Palmer of Lawrence, Lydia Palmer of Lawrence, Thelma and Bill Simons of Lawrence, Amara Simons of Seattle, Heather Simons of Kansas City, Cristian Simons of Kansas City, and Bethany Weber, holding Nicholas Weber, of Topeka. Thelma Simons submitted the photo, which was taken by Ann Dean.

Martha Oldham is pictured with her three poodles. She is a librarian at Lawrence High School. Her friend Bonnie McConnell Smith, of Baldwin City, submitted the photo.

State Rep. Tom Sloan receives an award from Janice Larkin, with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, for his national leadership on developing civilian-military partnerships for health care, sustainability and workforce training. Sue Henke, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.